Lanterns Over the Rockies Shines Light on Colorado’s AANHPI Community
Kai Vong • September 1, 2025

KGNU has a new community show hitting the airwaves. Since April 2025, the Colorado Chinese Radio Network, which was broadcasted in Mandarin, has transitioned into a new program: Lanterns Over the Rockies, hosted by Kai Vong and produced by the Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network (CACEN).

Kai Vong smiles in front of a RMAC/Under Armour backdrop for headshot.

The weekly program spotlights the stories, achievements, and challenges of Colorado’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. This transition allows broader inclusion of AANHPI stories, and KGNU’s partnership with CACEN ensures the community has a platform to share and document their experiences.


Through interviews, music, and conversations, the show explores cultural events, community organizations, and inspiring AANHPI leaders and artists—creating a platform where the community feels seen, heard, and celebrated.


KGNU is a noncommercial, independent community radio station licensed in Boulder and Denver. Owned by the Boulder Community Broadcast Association, the station has served the Front Range for more than 40 years by amplifying underrepresented voices and issues.


Since its launch, Lanterns Over the Rockies has featured a range of guests making an impact in Colorado:

Joanne Liu, sits with arms crossed, smiling. White background.

Joanne Liu, co-founder and CEO of Asian Girls Ignite, shared her 20-plus years of experience in leadership and education, highlighting how she builds systems that empower students to honor both their individual identities and collective strength.

Christina Ifurung in white outfit outdoors with hands on chest, smiling near singing bowls.

Christina Ifurung, an energy healer specializing in Reiki, sound healing, and light language, spoke about the duality of healing, vibrational energy, and the Filipino concept of kapwa—shared identity and interconnectedness.

Stacey Shigaya smiling, wearing glasses, denim jacket, and hoop earrings, outdoors.

Stacey Shigaya, executive director of the Sakura Foundation, reflected on her family’s experience with Japanese incarceration during World War II, the importance of cultural preservation, and her work to strengthen community through the Sakura Foundation.

Daranee Teng with a purple scarf smiles, set outdoors near greenery and a building.

Daranee Teng, managing director of strategy and impact at Moonshot, discussed her 18 years in educational nonprofits, her journey from working with first-generation students in North Denver to conducting decolonial research, and her vision for equity and justice in education.

Other guests have included cultural leaders, mental health advocates, and artists across generations, with more stories to come.


Looking ahead, CACEN is seeking new guests to share their stories, whether community leaders, artists, or everyday Coloradans making an impact. Plans are also underway to mark the program’s one-year anniversary in April 2026 with a special episode and community celebration.


Tune in to Lanterns Over the Rockies on KGNU 

and on major streaming platforms. 

Blue KGNU logo.

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